Paint it Black
by Fae Rain
Summary: Ian learns that life is dull when one has to stare at it through the same eys everyday. Orig. char. brings a new view on life and a bit of confusion, laughter and just a dash of childlike innocence. Rating may change w later ch.s
1. 1

A/N: Mora, my muse has decided that Ian shouldn't be alone and so this story is the result. This is second season characters and Gabriel is himself, Irons is gone for good.

Summary: Ian learns that life is dull when one has to stare at it through the same eyes everyday. OC brings a new view on life and abit of confusion, laughter and just a dash of childlike innocence.

Staring out over the vast lawns Ian waited for the doctors to tell him to come in. They had called with urgent bussiness yet had told him not a word more.

Curiosity peeked, Ian had rushed to their location and wondered what he would find.

Anything was better than siiting around with men who wanted nothing better than to stab you in the back and then blame one another. At times he wished that they would try to doublecross him. Maybe then things would get interesting.

"Please, Mr. Nottingham, follow me." Ian looked up to see a thin balding man he remembered from his childhood.

Out of habbit, Ian didn't ask any of the questions that had begun to chase themselves in circles in his mind. Instead he followed Dr. Handyn silently into an elevator and down a long, white hallway.

"Mr. Irons requested that we notify him if anything changed with O." Dr. Hnadyn slowed his pace, "But seeing as though he is no longer here, we thought that you would like to know what was happening."

Ian nodded, completely lost.

"O has been fighting against our training and has even harmed a few of our men." Dr. Handyn clasped his hands as he stopped and looked through a large glass window.

Turning, Ian saw that they were looking in on a room, a room with one occupant.

"O has not slept in nearly 5 days and she refuses food."

Ian was unable to tear his eyes away from the thin figure that stood on the other side of the glass, hands clasped behind her back and her head bowed. Long black hair hung down to her waist , the ends curling delicately, blocking any sign of emotion from view.

"I would like to see her file. Show me everything that has to do with her." Ian was shocked to hear his voice faulter.

Name: Ophelia

DOB: 1981, October 31st

Level: Highly Dangerous

Treatments: Genetic enhancements, Padded cells, Nightly medications

The list went on but Ian couldn't continue. Closing the yellow file with a snap he found what he had been looking foras a faded piece of paper slipped lose of the other.

"What do you suggest be done?" Ian asked as he exited the small room he had been alowd to read in.

"O should be gotten rid of like the others." Dr. Handyn sighed, "She lasted the longest. It's a shame Kenneth didn't want to use her because of her gender."

Ian looked at the still figure in the other room and sighed.

That stance...the hair...

"What do you wish for us to do?" the doctor asked.

"I wish to take her back to the mansion." Ian said calmly, "It seems only right."

"Right?" Dr Handyn seemed a bit taken back, "But she is of no use."

"She is my sister and I say she should be out of here by nightfall." Ian felt his back turn to steel, "See to it that she arrives around 7 tonight."

'What are you doing!' his mind screamed as he turned and headed towards the elevator.

'I'm saving my own flesh and blood.' he thought and for some reason or another it truly frightened him.

Ophelia sat opposite Ian at the table with her eyes cast down.

"You may speak freely while you are here." Ian said for the third time that night, "Ask any questions and they shall be answered to the best of my knowledge."

Ian stared at her for a moment. He had yet to even see her face. She kept her eyes down and her face hidden always.

"Why did you do this?" Came a quiet yet strong voice.

"Do what, Ophelie?" Ian asked and was sure that she moved to look at him but he was the one now staring at his plate.

"Bring me here." She said, "Why would you do such a thing if not to use me as a weapon?"

Ian grimaced, "You were created from the same cells that I originated from and so in a way we are siblings. I could not let you stay there."

"Why did you wait so long to free me?"

"Till this morning I had no idea you even existed."

Ophelia looked up and Ian met her gaze, her eyes were as dark as his own and more dazzling.

She was lovely.

"Do I truly exist?" she asked dropping her eyes back down to her untouched meal.

"As much as I do."

Ophelia nodded, understanding his hidden meaning.

He wasn't sure if he were in the world any more than she was.

Dinner was finished in silence and Ophelia looked around the large room for the first time.

With a nod of permission from Ian she rose and examined the statues that stood by the stair case.

"May I ask you a question, Ophelia?" Ian asked as he watched her.

"You may." She didn't even turn to face his as she gave her reply.

"How is it you managed to fight the training?"

"I have always known they feared me." she wispered, "I just accepted it and found that I didn't want to be what they were making me."

"You were able to decide that while under their medications?"

"I'm able to do a lot of things I wasn't trained to do." Ophelia smiled slightly as she turned back to him.

"Such as?" Ian asked as her eyes became mirrors, she was no longer looking at anything in the room.

"I feel."

A/N: I know it's short but I just want to see if anyone is interested in this before I continue.

Ian seems a bit out of vharacter but it fit, so deal. .

Ophelia is straight from my imagination, she is the only thing I own.

Want more? Just tell me so. 


	2. 2

A/N: Thank you for the reviews.^_~  
  
*********  
  
Ian looked up to see Ophelia standing by the door of the sitting room and smiled. She had been staying with him for a week and she still hadn't gotten use to the fact that she didn't need permisssion or orders to do something.  
  
"If you want to come in, you may." Ian said once he realized that she would just stand there untill he told her to either enter or go away, "You needn't ask or wait to be told."  
  
"I know." Ophelia walked past the chairs and sat on the floor before the fire, "I'm still adjusting."  
  
Ophelia stared into the flames as Ian watched her. She was so familliar and yet he was looking at someone who he didn't even knew existed till he got that call from Dr. Handyn.  
  
'My sister.' he thought with a smile.  
  
Ian had tried and failed to get Ophelia to wear normal everyday clothes. She had opted, like himself, to wear black. Very little of her skin showed and just like Ian, Ophelia had been taught to wear gloves at all times lest she leave proof of her existence during a 'job'.  
  
"We do make an odd pair." Ian commented and Ophelia turned to him with a small smile.  
  
"That we do, brother."  
  
*********  
  
"Where are we going, Ian?"   
  
"We are going to the police station." Ian glaced at his sister as she kept pace with him down the New York sidewalk, "I want you to see the Wielder."  
  
"Oh, yes, Sara." Ophelia said as she pushed her sunglasses on.  
  
Ophelia looked every bit an assassin with her dark hair pulled back in a braid that hung to her waist and she wore all black. She wore a long sleeve, high colared shirt with black pants, black combat boots and of course her ever present gloves. Due to the heat of the day Ian had been able talk her out of the jacket and was thankfull when she had listened.  
  
People moved quickly out of the path of the two dressed in black and many stared, something Ophelia wasn't use to.  
  
"Why are they watching me?" she asked with a shudder.  
  
Come to think of it, Ian had rarely ever been seen when he was out and about.  
  
"They're not use to seeing the two of us." Ian said, it was the only thing he could think of.  
  
They continued in silence with Ian leading the way to the station and Ophelia looking around at all the buildings.  
  
"I've never been in this part of the city, have I?" she asked as she nearly walked into a young man due to the fact that she was staring upwards and not watching where she was headed.  
  
"No, you haven't." Ian said as he pulled her out of harms way, "Look, that's it."  
  
They had arrived.  
  
********  
  
Sara looked up to see two people dressed entirely in black walking towards her office door.  
  
'My guess is it that one of them is Nottingham.' Sara thought as she watched them approach, 'The tall one is deffinately Ian.'  
  
"May we enter?" Ian's voice was smooth and relaxed as he looked at Sara through the now open door.  
  
"Sure." Sara looked up see Danny looking at her as though she had lost her mind.  
  
"Lady Sara, I would like to introduce Ophelia, my sister." Ian wasted no time in saying what he had come to say, "You need not worry, she will be no trouble to you and your's."  
  
Sara stared at Ophelia for a minute or two as the Blade showed her Ophelia's creation and training.   
  
Managing a nod, Sara noted how the young woman stood, head bowed, and hands behind her back.  
  
'Just like Ian.'  
  
"Thank you for your time, Sara." Ian said with a half bow.  
  
"Yes, Sara, thank you." Ophelia said as she looked up at the Wielder briefly.  
  
Her voice was melodic and quiet lovely. It struck Sara as odd that she was looking at Nottingham's younger sister.   
  
'I can't believe Iron's was playing God.' she thought as they walked out, ' Well then again, this is Irons I'm talking about.'  
  
**********  
  
"She is lovely." Ophelia said as she and her brother descended the station's steps.  
  
"That she is." Ian smiled, a habbit that seemed to have come from being around Ophelia, "But she is very independent and strong willed."  
  
"The perfect Wielder." Ophelia said as they continued on their way.  
  
After a few minutes of silence Ian said quietly, "You seem well educated when it comes to life and people, not something I would have expected from one who has spent 23 years in a room."  
  
"They gave me books and made me watch training vidios." Ophelia said in a offhanded manner as she stared at a news stand.  
  
"You like to read?" Ian asked when he saw her gaze.  
  
"I do. It lets me leave my world if only for a split second."  
  
"Your world?" Ian asked almost afraid of her how she may answer.  
  
"My old world, now. One of darkness, needles, sleppless nights, timeless days and white coats. There was also something odd about the food." Ophelia added the last part with a small laugh, "I never noticed before because I knew no different but now, now I can tell."  
  
Blinking, Ian could remember only too well how the food tasted in the lab, but at least he was trained in the real world and not kept alone in some mirrored room.  
  
"What do you think of life?" the words sounded wrong as Ian heard himself ask this question, it wasn't exactly what he had ment to ask.  
  
"I think it is quite sad."  
  
"Sad?"  
  
"They don't see it. They don't see how wonderfull everything could be, or how incredible life is." Ophelia guestured down the sidewalk a bit to a bussiness man who stood a few feet from a a young gothic teenaged girl, "Can you imagine the things they could learn from one another? And yet, I doubt they'd even listen."  
  
"They don't even see each other." Ian agreed.  
  
"Not truly at least." Ophelia became quiet as they continued walking and Ian was enjoying the company when Ophelia suddenly disappeared from his side. Fear placed a cold hand over his heart.  
  
Turning around he was able to spot her helping a young man carry a box.  
  
He looked familliar........  
  
"Ophelia, we should be going." Ian said with a small groan when he realized who he was watching and tried to seem calm.  
  
He had never felt this emotion before.  
  
"Hey, Nottingham!" Gabriel called out in a friendly manner.  
  
"Hello, Mr. Bowman." Ian assisted with the box, "I see you have met my sister Ophelia."  
  
"Sister?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow as he managed to get them to his door, "I thought she seemed familliar."  
  
They manuevered the large, heavy box into the living room and set it down.  
  
"We, should get back." Ophelia said as she glanced at her watch, "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Bowman."  
  
"Please, call me Gabriel, and stop by anytime." the young man smiled as Ian directed Ophelia outside.  
  
"He is a friend of Sara's, right?"   
  
"Yes." Ian said once they were out of hearing range, "I told you about him a few nights ago."  
  
"I know." Ophelia smiled, "That's why I recognized him."  
  
"Promise me you won't just run off like that." Ian said as he took a deep breath.  
  
"Ok." she looked up at her brother, noticing how serious he had become, "I don't understand, what did I do?"  
  
"You...." Ian looked down at her large eyes, no longer hidden behind sunglasses, "You frightened me is all."  
  
"You thought I was gone." she said quietly, "I'll never leave without telling and I'll always return." Ophelia looked down at her gloved hands and then back up at him, "I promise."  
  
**********  
  
A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this out. I'm on vacation but things have been quite hectic.  
  
Fan of Fanfiction: Thank you for your offer to help but I've found that I'm just too damn impatient. ^_~ Thank you though. 


	3. 3

A/N: This one is just a bit of fun. So enjoy. ^_^  
  
********  
"What are you doing?"  
  
Ian turned to see Ophelia standing in the doorway of the kitchen, watching him.  
  
He hadn't even heard her approach.  
  
"I bought you something." he smiled.  
  
"What is it?" she asked quietly, not coming any closer.  
  
"You have to open it to see." Ian stepped away from the box he had placed on the table and waited patiently for Ophelia to do something.  
  
Ophelia looked from Ian to the box then back again, "I don't understand what I'm suppose to do."  
  
"You open the box and take out what is inside." Ian swallowed, "Call it an early birthday present."  
  
"Birthday present?" Ophelia cocked her head to one side and approached the box cautiously.  
  
"When one has a birthday, that person's friends usually give presents." Ian explained.  
  
"Oh." Ophelia pushed her long black hair away from her face and extended one hand slowly towards the box.  
  
Ian smiled as a small black paw appeared from one of the breathing holes and batted harmlessly at Ophelia's fingers. Ophelia stepped back quickly, eyes large and confused.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"It's a kitten." Ian opened the box as his sister watched and pulled out a long haired, black kitten, "I thought you might enjoy her company."  
  
Ian craddled the small fuf ball in his hands and held them out for Ophelia to see.  
  
"She's so little." she said, reaching out and touching the kitten's tail with one finger.  
  
"Have you ever seen one before?"  
  
"Not one this small." Ophelia picked the little thing up and laughed as it batted at her hair.  
  
"You should name her." Ian smiled.  
  
"Name?" Ophelia looked the kitten in the eye then turned to Ian, "I don't know many names."  
  
"Pick one from a book you've read." Ian shrugged as Ophelia turned thoughtfull.  
  
"What about Raven, or maybe Mora?"  
  
"Mora sounds fitting." Ian looked down at the kitten, "So I guess Mora is now part of the family."  
  
"She fits, doesn't she?" Ophelia laughed, holding the entirely black cat up.  
  
*****************  
  
Sara looked up as Gabriel walked into her office with a look of pure disgust.  
  
"What's up?" Sara asked, closing the case file she had been going over.  
  
"I'm on my way to Iron's old estate. Nottingham ordered an ancient roman trinket and said he was going to put it on a colar."  
  
"A colar?" Sara raised an eyebrow, "For what?"  
  
"I really don't want to know but I'm hoping it's for one of his dogs." Gabriel shuddered and then laughed, "We always expect the wierdest from Nottingham. What if it is for a dog?"  
  
"Then I say he's insane for spending that much money on something that will probably get lost or chewed on." Sara looked up at her friend and smiled, "Why don't I go with you? I mean, I should talk to Nottingham anyways about the recent death of one of his associates."  
  
"Why haven't you talked to him sooner?" Gabriel stuffede his hands into his jeans pockets.  
  
"It happened over seas and I know for a fact that he was in New York when it happened." Sara grabbed her jacket and followed gabriel out side.  
  
****************  
  
The door opened a few seconds after Sara had pushed the doorbell.  
  
"Ms. Pezzini, Mr. Bowman." Sara draged her attention away from the dark eyes looking out at them, "Ian is in a meeting but you are welcome to wait with me in the study." Ophelia said as she stepped back to allow them entrance.  
  
"Why didn't a servant answer the door?" Sara asked as she and Gabriel followed Ophelia down the large hallway.  
  
"I was close by when the bell sounded." Sara noticed that Ophelia seemed to be looking for something on the floor as they walked.  
  
"Have you lost something?" Gabriel asked, obviously noticing her behavior as well.  
  
"Not really." Ophelia laughed, a musical sound that gave Sara the chills, "I'm looking for Mora."  
  
Sara shot a glance at Gabriel but he seemed just as lost as she felt.  
  
Another laugh escaped Ophleia's lips as a small black blur pounced from behind a table. Sara watched in amusement as Ophelia stooped over to pick up the fiesty little 'killer'.  
  
"This," Ophelia said as she straightened up, "Is Mora, my companion." Ophelia pushed her long hair back and smiled down at the kitten, "She jumps out at the staff and others during their day. I believe she thinks that she's hunting."  
  
"Did you pick her out your self?" Gabriel asked as they entered a large room lined with bookshelves.  
  
"She was a gift from my brother." Ophelia sat on the smooth wood table as Sara stood by the door and Gabriel plopped down in one of the many chairs, "He called her an early birthday present." she was attampting to disloge Mora's claws from her sweater, "I've never recieved one before, so she is quite special."  
  
Sara held back the comment about birthdays and her surprise as she watched Ophelia set Mora on the table beside her.  
  
"She is really cute." Gabriel remarked as Mora began to 'stalk' the fingers he was dragging across the table.  
  
"I have been occupied with meetings." A voice from the door caused Sara and Gabriel to jump, "I thought Ophelia could uses a companion to teach her about life."  
  
Sara glared at Ian for frightening her as Gabriel caught Mora as she dashed forwardafter his fingers.  
  
"I have a few questions to ask you about Mr. Cotis." Sara said as Ian smiled at her.  
  
"But of course. Lets take this elses where." he gestured at the door, "I'd rather my sister not hear about this."  
  
***************  
  
Shortly after Ian and Sara left Gabriel found himself sitting in the study alaone. Ophelia had run out after Mora who was, by Ophelia's mumbled comments, making a break for the kitchens.  
  
Standing and stretching, Gabriel looked around the large room. Many if not all of the books were extremely old yet rather well kept.   
  
'God, Nottingham seems almost normal.' he thought as he slid his hands into his coat pockets, 'I almost forgot.'   
  
Gabriel pulled out a small jewelry box from his pocket.   
  
"I apologize for leaving you alone." Ophelia said as she re-entered the room with Mora in her arms, "She likes to get under foot in the kitchens, finds it amusing I would think but I'm afraid of someone stepping on her."  
  
"She is quite small." Gabriel replaced the box back into his coat pocket and smiled as Sara and Ian also rejoined him.  
  
"Everything, ok?" Sara asked.  
  
"Yea, perfect." Gabriel turned to Ian, "You order arrived today, well this mornig and since I didn't have anything to do brought it by myself."  
  
"Ophelia," Ian said gently, "hand me Mora."  
  
Ophelai did as asked without questions and watched as Ian removed a small siver trinket from the box Gabriel held out.  
  
"What is it?" she asked quietly, still unsure of herself when it came to voicing opinions or speaking up.  
  
"The symble of Artemis, the huntertress." Ian smiled and pulled a red colar from one of the desks.  
  
He attached the pendant to the colar and then slid the colar over Mora's head. The cat sat still and purred as Ian adjusted everything to fit her perfectly.  
  
"It's lovely." Ophelia smiled as Ian passed the happy kitten to his sister.  
  
'And expensive.' Gabriel thought as he and Sara headed for the door.  
  
***************  
  
A/N: If there are flub ups just ignore them. Things have been rather hectic around here. I'm just happy I finished this ch. (finaly). I've been working on it for 5 days. -_- Grrrr.   
Just to let you all know, Ophelia's outfits are always all black unless stated otherwise. I didn't want to keep write 'black' or 'dark'.  
Anyways, please review. 


	4. 4

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews. Mora seems to have you all enthralled. I take it you like her? ^_^ Mora is also the name of my muse, so you get the idea.  
  
*************  
  
"Why are we here?" Ophelia looked up at the tall outlet building, "I already have clothing."  
  
"I thought that you may like to pick something out." Ian shuddered as he looked at all the people inside.  
  
"I have no knowledge of clothes." Ophelia confessed as she also glanced around at the crowd.  
  
"That's why I came along." Sara smiled at the surprised look on Ophelia's face, "Don't worry, I won't embarrass you."  
  
"I thank you for that." Ophelia managed a grin as Ian held the door for them.  
  
"So," Sara started as she walked over towards the women's section, "Are there any colors you like beside black?"  
  
"Uh....." Ophelia looked unsure as she thought, "Green is nice."  
  
"I agree." Sara smiled reassuringly at the young woman before walking around the racks.  
  
"We really don't have to do this." Ophelia tugged at Ian's sleeve, "I'm qiute satisfied with what I have. I don't have the need for anything else."  
  
"It's not about need." Ian started as Sara walked back over to them, "You should try getting something you don't need-just one item and see where it goes from there."  
  
"Do you own anything thats not considered a need?" Sara asked.  
  
"I do actually." Ian smiled, "I believe her name is Mora."  
  
Ophelia laughed.  
  
"So, do you understand now?" Ian asked as his sister turned towards Sara.  
  
"Yes. I understand." she responded as she took hold of Sara's arm and walked away leaving Ian standing by himself.  
  
****************  
  
Sara smiled down at the seated Ophelia as the young woman took a deep breath and nodded. A woman from the jewelry department smiled and stepped forward.  
  
"This will sting a bit but it's not too bad." there was a click followed by two others and when the woman stepped back Sara saw three little studs in the cartilage of Ophelia's left ear.  
  
"How's it feel?" Sara asked as she spotted Ian walking over to them.  
  
"Hot." Ophleia looked in the mirror the woman handed her, "It feels hot."  
  
"Ah, they are lovely." Ian smiled as he immediately noticed the little silver and green stones in his sister's ear.  
  
"I also got something for Mora."Ophelia smiled and reached down by her feet to retrieve a box.  
  
"What is it?" Ian asked as the jewelry woman handed Sara the paper work and bottle of ear cleaner.  
  
"It's a bed for cats." Ophelia smiled proudly, "I had no idea they made beds for animals!"  
  
"You'd be surprised what people can find for their pets." Sara smiled as Ophelia bagan looking around again.  
  
"Anything else you wish to see?" Ian asked as he pulled his sunglasses out of his jacket pocket.  
  
"No." Ophleia followed suite and pulled out her square black glasses, "But I am hungry."  
  
**************  
  
Ian held back his laughter as Ophelia stared down at her fast food bag, "It won't bite." he said as she rinkled her nose.  
  
"I've never 'eaten out' before." she said as she unwrapped the small veggie burger with her gloved fingers, "Why did you suggest this?"  
  
"They are tasty." Ian watched as people walked past their perch on the fountain wall, "And much more healthy than those fatty burgers they have."  
  
Ophelia nodded though it was clear she had no idea what he was talking about.  
  
"Go on." he urged gently.  
  
Nodding again Ophelia took a small bite of her veggie burger and chewed slowly.  
  
"Not bad..." she said after a minute or two, "And these?" she asked motioning towards her french fries.  
  
"They are the best part." Ian grinned and handed Ophelia a chocolate milkshake, "As is this."  
  
Ophelia's dark eyes moved from the shake to her brother and back again before taking the offered beverage.  
  
"Mr. Irons never allowd me such 'junk' as he called it." Ian said as Ophelia sipped happily at her shake, "I want you to have anything you want- within reason of course, but you seem quite reasonable." Ophelia smiled up at him before popping a fry into her mouth.  
  
"I won't make any outragous demands." Ophelia laughed, "I won't request the moon or anything so untouchable."  
  
Their attention was diverted as a small sqeal of pleasure cut off Ian's reply.  
  
Turning, Ophleia saw a little girl laughing as she ran after her father who was keeping just one step ahead of the child.  
  
"What are they doing?" Ophelia asked quietly, her food forgotten.  
  
"They are playing a game of some sort." Ian replied, "I will ask Sara to teach you one sometime, though not one like that."  
  
"There are others?"  
  
"I believe there are many." Ian said as Ophelie nodded.  
  
"I would like to learn them." she said as she watched the little girl being scooped up by her father.  
  
Ian waited for Ophelia to ask the questions he knew were there in her mind but she just sat silently for a few minutes.  
  
"What was our father like?" Ophelia asked as she tossed her half-eaten burger in the trash.  
  
Of all the questions Ian had expected, this wasn't one of them.  
  
"Did you never meet him?" he asked in shock.  
  
"Once but I was told to stay silent and to keep stance."  
  
Keep stance. Ian remembered that cammand. In other words Ophelia had been told to stare at the ground so others could act as though she wasn't even there.  
  
"He was a harsh man." Ian said at last, "But he, like every living thing, had his good days."  
  
"Do you miss him?"  
  
"At times, yes."  
  
"Would you change any of it if you could?" Ophelia looked up at the sky as clouds began to gather.  
  
"I would have had you brought to us sooner." Ian followed his sister's gaze upward, "What would you change?"  
  
"All of it." Ophelia sighed as she fiddled with the end of her long black braid, "The only thing I would keep is having you as my family."  
  
Thunder sounded in the distance, a warning of the storm to come.  
  
"Let's get home to Mora before the rain falls." Ian sugested as he stood.  
  
"Yes, let's." Ophelia blinked up at the drak sky as they walked back towards the mansion, "I'm anxious to see if she aproves of her new bed."  
  
**************  
  
A/N: I'm running out of ideas so help would be greatly appreciated. ^_^ Please review. 


	5. 5

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. It's been kinda crazy with the ned of school coming up (MONDAY!). So, yea , I'm so sick of typing up papers and studying. -_-  
  
******************  
  
Ian looked from Sara to the blue stuffed bear she had just won and shook his head.  
  
"I hope Ophelia is enjoying herself." He said as Sara began leading him to another booth.  
  
"I'm sure she's having fun." Sara sighed, "Stop worrying. Gabriel loves places like this, he'll know what she'll like and not like."  
  
The amusement park was decently packed and with in a few seconds Ian had lost Sara in the crowd.  
  
"Sara?" he called looking to the spot where she had been moments before.  
  
"Ian." Sara touched Ian's arm to direct him through the mass, "I found one with guns." she smiled up at him and he couldn't help but smile back.  
  
*************  
  
Gabriel laughed as Ophelia tilted her head to the side and stared at the ride they were in line for.  
  
"You want me to sit in that?" she asked, head still tilted.  
  
"It's safe, I swear." Gabriel laughed again, "It's one of my favorites and one of the only ones that doesn't toss you up-side-down."  
  
"I see." Ophelia looked around as the line slowly began to move.  
  
"After this we'll go get some food and try to win a prize." Gabriel said as he found Ophelia watching a little boy who was in line behind them.  
  
"Prize?" she asked, glancing up at her official tour guide.  
  
"Yea. Stuffed animals, pictures, hats, you name it they may have it."  
  
"Interesting." Ophelia said as she and Gabriel were herded into a cart.  
  
"What is this called?" she asked as people began to fill the rest of the seats.  
  
"It's a rollercoaster." Gabriel reached over and tugged on Ophelia's safety belt, "They were actually brought over by a Russian circus act. Before that no one had know what was possible in the field of amusement."  
  
*************  
  
Ian looked up when he saw his sister and Gabriel approaching.  
  
"You're ten minutes late." he commented with a smile when he saw how pale Gabriel looked.  
  
"Are you enjoying yourselves?" Sara asked with a smirk.  
  
"It's all so wonderfull." Ophelia beamed, "We went on this cart roller and the feeling was so odd."  
  
"It's a rollercoaster." Gabriel plopped down at the table next to Sara with a huge sigh, "We went on it six times, and then moved to the ones with loops."  
  
"Oh." Sara laughed, "That explains the lack of color."  
  
"Have you ever to a place such as this, brother?" Ophelia asked as she pulled a small silver bear from her coat pocket.  
  
"Not for a long time." Ian smiled as Ophelia casually placed the stuffed animal in his own pocket.  
  
"Well, then we should return."  
  
"Not anytime soon." Gabriel piped up, "I don't think my insides could handle it."   
  
"I won't be so enthusiastic about those next time." Ophelia laughed, "I promise."  
  
*************  
  
"Are you sure you don't want anything?" Sara asked for the third time, waving a stick of cotton candy at Gabriel.  
  
"Maybe in a bit." He grinned, "Ophelia really knows how to push till her body can't take anymore."  
  
"Sounds like Ian." Sara looked up to see the darkly clad siblings not far off buying candied apples, "Did she get sick?"  
  
"No, but she looked like she was going to. It seemed to pass really quickly, though." Gabriel smiled as Ian and Ophelia made their way back over to them.  
  
Ophelia was trying to explain the coaster they had gone on, the one with three loops and was talking animately with her hands.  
  
"I'll have to go on it sometime." Ian said making Sara choke at the mental image of Ian, Mr. Darkness, badass assassin on a rollercoaster. So far, Ian had steered clear of all rides, opting more for the booths of games, preferably the ones involving guns.  
  
"Are you well, Sara?" Ophelia asked with genuine concern.  
  
"Yea, I'm good." Sara coughed, turning her back on them as she hurried off to buy a drink.  
  
"So," Ophelia started as she turned to Gabriel, "What next?"  
  
"Uh, nothing with loops or drop-offs." Gabriel stated as he thought, "Why don't we all walk though the haunted house?"  
  
"That should prove to be amusing." she smiled up at Ian, "Ian?"  
  
"If thats what you want, we'll go."  
  
*************  
  
Sara was a little less than thrilled at the idea of the haunted house. She wasn't scared of them, they just made her uncomfortable.  
  
Once inside, Sara found that she wasn't the only one wishing for the colored lights of the booths they had left behind.  
  
"Are you alright, Ophelia?" Gabriel asked once the door closed behind them.  
  
"Yes." came the quiet reply.  
  
Ophelia stood, her eyes wide, hands clenched by her thighs.  
  
"Are you sure?" Ian asked, placing a hand on her shoulder as they waited for the first trick to go off.  
  
"I rather dislike the dark." she said looking around.  
  
The frist 'scare' went off, causing everyone but Ian to jump.  
  
"Do you want to leave?" Ian asked quietly.  
  
"No." Ophelia looked up the red lights hanging from the ceiling, "It's not so bad with the little lights."  
  
As they continued Sara and Gabriel would laugh when one or the other would jump and Ophelia began to ask questions about the electronic puppets and sensors.  
  
"See?" Gabriel walked over to the vampire and stepped back as it lunged, "There are sensors to tell it when someone gets close enough to be scared."  
  
"Oh." Ophelia stepped up next to Gabriel and watched as the bloodied vampire came at her, "I understand."  
  
"Onto the next room." Sara said taking hold of Ophelia's arm.  
  
"Wow." Ophelia found herself looking up into a large distorted mirror.  
  
"Heh, look at me." Gabriel laughed, "I've got a pot belly!"  
  
The lights filkered and then died.  
  
"Ian?" Ophelia reached out and only met with cold glass.  
  
"It's ok." Gabriel said gently touching Ophelia's arm, "It's part of the house, it's suppose to happen."  
  
Ophelia nodded, forgetting that Gabriel couldn't see her and took hold of his hand, "Get me out of here."  
  
Ian and Sara were waiting for them at the exit.  
  
"Are you alright?" Ian asked once Ophelia was in sight.  
  
"I want to go home." she smiled weakly, "Tea sounds really good right about now."  
  
**************  
  
"If you don't mind me asking," Sara started as they all sat around the fire back at the mansion, " Why does the dark bother you?"  
  
Ophelia set her mug of green tea down and looked up at Sara in the dim room, "A lot of my training revolved around night time. One day while in the 'darkness room' I was jumped by people who weren't normally there. They injected me with a fluid that took away my eyesight for three months."  
  
"Why would they do that?" Gabriel asked Ophelia but Ian was the one to answer.  
  
"They make weapons, not people, we are ment to be the best so they must train us to deal with anything that may happen."  
  
"And that involves taking away a persons sight?" Sara asked as both Ian and Ophelia dropped their gaze to the floor.  
  
"I was being punished for refusing their treatments." Ophelia wispered as Mora climbed into her lap.  
  
**************  
  
I would have had this out to you on friday but about 3/4 of the way through I was kidnapped by two friends to go to the movie, Finding Nemo. It was so cute and made even cuter by the fact that I was sitting between my friends, both of whom are 18 year old guys and they were laughing as hard as i was. ^_^ They were so cute! 


	6. 6

A/N: I finaly updated Shadowed! ^_____^ I'm quite proud. Ok, on with Paint it Black.  
  
*************  
  
Ian woke to the smallest of changes in the air. The wind wipped through the curtains causing the shadows to dance and shift.  
  
The air smelled like rain.  
  
As this thought registered thunder could be heard in the distance.  
  
*More rain.* Ian thought as smoothed his curls, *The garden will drown*  
  
A different type of shadow caught Ian's attention and he turned to see Mora sitting in his doorway, the charm of the huntress on her collar glinting in the dark. The tiny ball of fluff mewed once she realized that Ian was indeed looking at her and then she ran towards Ophelia's room.  
  
*What was that about?*  
  
Following Mora to Ophelia's door Ian froze when he saw his sister lying on the floor.  
  
Emotions almost overruled training as Ian had to force his self not to rush to Ophelia's side. Stopping, he took a deep breath and scanned the room.  
  
Empty.  
  
But she was breathing evenly.  
  
Hopefully she had just fallen off the bed or moved to the floor due to humidity.  
  
Moving carefully to the floor Ian began speaking to Ophelia before reaching out and pushing her thick hair away from her sweaty forehead.  
  
In an instance Ian found himself on the floor, pinned beneath Ophelia.  
  
"Ophelia." he said calmly, trying to hide his complete surprise, "Why were you on the floor?"  
  
Ophelia blinked down at Ian as though trying to see him.  
  
"Ophelia, Mora is scared by your behavior." Ian said, noticing the kitten shinking back towards the bed Ophelia had bought for her.  
  
Ophelia stiffened and then released her hold on him.  
  
"My apologies." she said quietly, bring her hands up to cover her face, "I had been dreaming....."  
  
Seeing Ophelia's posture change Mora can slipping across the floor and into her owners lap.  
  
"You were fighting your training." Ian slid his hand over a purring Mora and watched as his sister moved her hands and looked down at the black fluff ball in her lap.  
  
"It's been hard." she confessed, "I slip into it without really thinking."  
  
"But you still fought it."  
  
*************  
  
"Don't change your mind now." Sara said as she watched Ian watch Ophelia who was eated on the floor with Mora and a book, "Go to your meeting. We'll be fine."  
  
"Just don't touch her if she falls asleep." Ian cautioned for the third time.  
  
"I won't." Sara smiled, "Now go before you're late."  
  
***************  
  
Ophelia glanced up at Sara as they walked down the sidewalk on their way to the park where her and Ian had had fastfood.  
  
"How are you holding up?" Sara asked.  
  
"Rather well." Ophelia replied as she stuffed her glove hands into the pockets of her short black coat.  
  
"How long have you been awake?"  
  
"With only 3 hours of sleep I have been up for 14 hours." Ophelia squinted up at the semi-cloudy sky, "I've gone longer with out sleep."  
  
Sara just shook her head and tried to think of a way to change the subject.  
  
"Oh, look, Ice cream." Sara pointed out a small shop, "Lets get some."  
  
"Ok"  
  
"What do you want?" Sara asked as they both looked up at the long list of flavors.  
  
"Strawberry and fudge." Ophelia said after only a few seconds of looking, "And you?"  
  
"That sounds good. I'll have the same thing."  
  
**************  
  
"Well don't you two make quite the picture." Ophelia looked up to see Gabriel walking over.  
  
"Hey." Sara smiled, "You want some?"  
  
"Um..." gabriel raised an eyebrow at their bowls, "Maybe another time."  
  
"Why are you not in your shop?" Ophelia asked as Gabriel took a seat on her right, so she was seated between Sara and Gabriel.  
  
"Bussiness has been slow today." he smiled, "Where's Ian?"  
  
"He had a meeting to go to." Sara gave Gabriel the 'I'll-explain-it-to-you-later' look.   
  
"Oh." Gabriel turned to Ophelia and pushed her hair out of her face to look at the three piercings in her ear, "How have these been?" he asked.  
  
"Fine." Ophelia smiled, something Sara noticed happened alot with Gabriel around, "Though Mora stepped on them the other night and made them sting."  
  
"Ouch." Gabriel laughed, moving his hand away, "How did she manage that?"  
  
As Ophelia and gabriel talked about the kitten Sara gazed around the park. It was almost empty, save for them and a few couples walking hand-in-hand.  
  
"Sara?" Ophelia's voice interupted Sara's gazing, "Will you teach me a game? Ian said you might."  
  
"Really?" Sara wondered where the question had come from, "What type of game?"  
  
"I don't know." Ophelia shrugged, "A simple game."  
  
**************  
  
As Ian walked to the den he could laughter and smiled when he entered the room.  
  
There on the floor by the cold hearth sat Sara, Ophelia and Gabriel playing a board game. From the looks of it it was a child's board game but they all seemed to be enjoying themselves non-the-less.  
  
"Brother!" Ophelia laughed, "Look! They have taught me how to play Clue!"  
  
"And she keeps winning." Sara added as Ian joined them on the floor.  
  
"Really?" he asked looking down at the board, "How do you like it?"  
  
"It is a very clever game." Ophelia then set about telling Ian how the game was played, knowing that he had never played anything besides chess and cards.  
  
*************  
  
A/N: I really liked this chapter. I hope you did too. Please review and send a few more ideas my way, if you would. ^_^ I appreciate it. 


	7. 7

A/N: I know it's been awhile but things have been rather-whats a nice way of saying hellish?-umm, yes well, things have been hectic. We have a two month old Shih Tzu, named Yuki- she's cute, yes but very hyper.  
  
Any ways- on with the story.  
  
*****************  
  
Ian looked up as Ophelia rushed into the study with Mora clutched to her chest.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked at once, setting the bussiness document he had been pouring over to the side.  
  
"Yes, I'm quite fine." Ophelia smiled, "Did you hear the doorbell?"  
  
"I did." Ian wondered where this was going.  
  
"It was Gabriel." Ophelia set Mora on Ian's desk and the cat curled up on the bussiness papers, "He asked me if I wanted to go to his shop for awhile."  
  
"And what did you say?" Ian asked, looking up from the cat to his sister.  
  
"I told him I would ask if I could." Ophelia fiddled with the sleeve to her green shirt, all training on hiding emotions gone, "May I go?"  
  
"Do you want to go?" Ian asked, trying not to smile or frown, either one could influence her answer.  
  
"I do." she said quietly, eyes large.  
  
"Then you may go." Ian smiled as Ophelia flung herself into his arms.  
  
It was the first time they had ever hugged.  
  
It was one of the very few hugs Ian had ever recieved.  
  
Ophelia pulled back with a small smile, "I have no idea what made me do that. I've never done anything like that before."  
  
"Your emotions made you do it." Ian patted his sister's arm and sighed.  
  
At least she was having an easier time with her emotions than he had after training.  
  
**************  
  
Gabriel glanced over at Ophelia who was laying on the floor with a book propped open in front of her and smiled. She was helping him double check some information a friend had asked for and had turned out rather skilled at finding what she needed in each book quickly.  
  
"You know, you don't have to help me. I could do it later." Gabriel said as he spun slowly in his office chair, "I don't want to bore you."  
  
"You are not boring me." Ophelia said without looking up from the old book of Pagan Life, "This is actually quite fascinating."  
  
"There are many Pagans in New York." Gabriel picked up a stack of books on the subject and flipped one open, "It's a very popular religion when things get too complicated."  
  
"People are not born Pagan?" Ophelia asked.  
  
"Where you born trained to kill?"  
  
"No." Ophelia laughed, "So religion is learned?"  
  
"Religion is just religion. It's a touchy subject with a lot of people."   
  
"I'll keep that in mind." Ophelia closed the book and asked, "Have you any other books on religion?"  
  
"Tons." Gabriel jumped up and dragged Ophelia to the back room, "Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, and a lot more."  
  
"May I borrow them?"  
  
"All of them?"   
  
"Yes, if you don't mind."  
  
"I don't mind. Anyone in search of knowledge has come to the right place place when they walk through my door." Gabriel smiled plucking books from the shelves.   
  
*******************  
  
A/N: This is as far as I can get! I am so stuck!   
  
PLEASE send me ideas-anything is better than nothing. I've been fighting writer's block for awhile with this and it is completely winning now! Sorry it's so short. 


	8. 8

A/N: Than you all for the ideas. They were very helpfull.  
  
********************  
  
Ophelia sat looking up at the white walls, her long hair unbound and hanging over the shoulders of the white shirt she was wearing.  
  
*White- it's all white- oh God- where am I?*  
  
The impulse to run was overpowering her training to obey and the dark haired woman tried to stand only to find the she was strapped to the chair.  
  
*Don't panic- It'll only get worse.* taking a deep breath Ophelia managed to calm her heart as a jumble of voices reached her ears.  
  
The voices were quickly joined by blurred people. There seemed to be enough bodies in the room to fill it but every time Ophelia tried to count them- they would just shift to more or less than what she had thought were there.  
  
*Ian!* Ophelia called out but no sound emerged.  
  
*I don't want to be here!* her mind pushed aside all training and let her panic take over, *It wasn't a dream!- Ian IS my brother- he took me away from here! Get away from me!*  
  
The burry figures created a circle around the chair, blocking the white walls from view and casting shadows that danced and shuddered.  
  
*Ian!*  
  
*************  
  
Ian blinked as he felthis skin crawl.  
  
Something was wrong.  
  
"Ophelia?" he said aloud, causing Sara to glance up from the paper work she had been poring over.  
  
"What's up?" the detective asked as Ian headed for the door.  
  
"I'm not sure." Ian replied as he quickened his pace and was soon running for the living room.  
  
Throwing the large wooden doors open Ian stopped in mid-stride causing Sara to run into the back of him.  
  
There, in the center of the room, stood Ophelia looking dazed and slightly lost.  
  
She was scanning the room with eyes that didn't seem to take in anything.  
  
Sara made to walk past Ian but he held out a hand to stop her as he pointed at a large antique lamp that had been broken in half and to the wall where there had been a sword hanging- now missing.  
  
Just as everything registered in Sara's mind Ophelia raised the sword from her side to swipe at an unseen enemy.  
  
"She's dreaming." Ian wispered, "I use to do the same thing- Mr. Irons would lock me away for days........ don't wake her too quickly."  
  
Sara nodded, remembering Ian's last description of Ophelia's dreams.  
  
"Where are you?" Ian directed to the armed woman.  
  
"White- It's all white." Ophelia wispered as she moved to swing at another unseen foe.  
  
"Ophelia?" Sara said catiously.  
  
"No," Ophelia swung again, taking a chunk out of the couch, "Get away! It wasn't a dream- I was free! It wasn't a dream!"  
  
Sara glanced at Ian as he gasped.  
  
Was it true? Was this freedom for the two of them?  
  
If so, freedom from what?  
  
"Ophelia." Ian said in a pained voice that rung Sara's heart, "You ARE free and that won't change- I promise you that."   
  
"Ophelia?" Sara tried again though quietly, "Ian is waiting for you, so am I. Come back."  
  
The ancient sword hit the floor with an unnerving crack and Sara rushed forward as Ophelia fell backwards.  
  
"Are you ok?" she asked immediately once she saw Ophelia's eyes open.  
  
"Oh God." the younge woman gasped, her eyes large as she searched the room and found Ian, "I thought I had dreamed it all."  
  
"It was a side effect of the treatments." Ian said gently as he kneeled beside his sister, "They become less with time."  
  
"It was so real." Ophelia breathed, her composure still quite lost.  
  
"All tests have a side effect of some sort." Ian smoothed Ophelia's dark hair as Sara released her grip on the younger woman's arms.  
  
*****************  
  
"Do you know of anything that could lessen the dreams?" Sara asked as she paced Talismaniac.  
  
"I could do a bit of research but aside from medication..... nothing's popping to mind." Gabriel sighed as he ran a hand through his unruly hair, "Was it really that bad?"  
  
"Gabriel, " Sara plopped down on his couch, "I nearly cried for her after seeing it all- God knows she won't cry."  
  
"And she took out the lamp and couch with a sword?" Gabriel leaned forward in his chair.  
  
"No." the detective looked anywhere but at her friend, "It seems that she took the lamp out with her hand. I didn't even notice the blood till Ian suggested that she get cleaned up."  
  
"Is she ok?" he asked in concern.  
  
"Yeah but Ian is worried- he has a meeting and I have to work, so I'm suppose to ask you to stop by to check on her tomorrow. Just "drop" by. Ian doesn't want her to feel like she's being babysat."  
  
"Ok." Gabriel shrugged, "I can do that."  
  
"Great." Sara smiled weakly, "I'll be there around 4. Vicky and I are taking her out."  
  
"That should prove to be amusing." Gabriel smirked, "Can I come?"  
  
"No." Sara shot him a playfull glare before gathering up her jacket and heading for the door, "I'll see you later then."  
  
"Yeah, see ya." Gabriel turned back to his computer and typed in;  
  
DREAMLESS SLEEP  
  
*****************  
  
Ophelia watched as Ian's car pulled out of the mansion's gates and disappeared down the road.   
  
She hadn't slept much.   
  
Fear isn't a kindly bedmate and had refused to let Ophelia get more than 2 hours of sleep over the course of the night.  
  
Yawning, Ophelia picked up Mora on her way to the den and the kitten curled up at the well known guesture and began purring as Ophelia rubbed the black cat's soft stomack with her undamaged hand.  
  
The door to the den opened silently when Ophelia pushed on it and she smiled up at the sight of so many books.  
  
If these didn't keep her awake, then nothing would.  
  
*****************  
  
Gabriel was let in by one of the few servants Ian had kept after his Master's death and was led to the den.   
  
The door stood ajar and Gabriel slipped quietly to find Ophelia asleep with her head pillowed by a great, thick book which was open to page 28. Mora was stretched out on the cool table, also asleep.  
  
"Hey." he said quietly, shaking her left shoulder in an attempt to wake her, "Ophelia?"  
  
Ophelia's eyes flew open and she turned to face Gabriel so quickly she nearly toppled out of her chair.  
  
"Wow! Slow down, it's ok." Gabriel held out his hands and smiled as Ophelia blinked up at him, "Did I disturb your nap?"  
  
"I was asleep?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah. You ok?"  
  
"I've been better." she admitted as Gabriel noticed the white bandages on her right hand.  
  
"What are you reading?" he asked.  
  
"Tales of King Athur." Ophelia blushed slightly, "But I didn't get very far."  
  
***************  
  
Laughter filled the living room as Ophelia's eyes began to water.  
  
"What is this called again?" She asked, taking a deep breath.  
  
"Bloopers." Gabriel laughed, "I didn't think you'd like them."  
  
"I love them." Ophelia sat up and faced Gabriel on the couch, "I've haven't seen much when it comes to the lighter side of human behavior."  
  
The next 30 minutes passed in random fits of giggles. When the show ended Ophelia grabbed the remote and handed it to a very relaxed Gabriel.  
  
"Well then next time I'll rent a comedy." he grinned as Ophelia slid back down next to him.  
  
"It's odd, you know." Ophelia said after a few minutes of channel surfing.  
  
"What is?" Gabriel turned to find Ophelia staring off in space solemly.  
  
"I'm nearly 23 and I have no idea how humans are suppose to act." she fell quiet as Gabriel continued to watch her till she finaly looked him in the eye, "I feel out of place."  
  
"You fit just fine." Gabriel said without really thinking about it.  
  
"With Ian yes, but even then there are things I don't understand. He tells me of Birthdays and Holidays and how to cheat soda machines out of money......and yet I don't see the need for such things."  
  
"It doesn't come from need. None of those things are because of need. Birthdays and Holidays are ment to be celebrations of another year gone by or of religion-beliefs." Gabriel sat up to get a better view of Ophelia's face as she thought over his words.   
  
"You explained that a little better than my brother did." Ophelia frowned then added, "But I had been asking him many questions that day."  
  
"Ian loves you." Gabriel said quietly, "He would be lost without you. Sara thinks you're the best thing since coffee and that's saying something." Ophelia smiled weakly as Gabriel laughed.  
  
"And you?" she asked, darks eyes never leaving his.  
  
"I think you're amasing." again the words slipped out without much thought.  
  
A sudden wieght in his lap startle Gabriel and Ophelia reached out to take Mora as the kitten tried to get Gabriel's attention.  
  
*****************  
  
A/N: Ok, that was an odd chapter but yeah, anyways-please review. Sorry for the delay. We had a damn virus. I honestly thought I was going to kill the computer!  
  
Ahem, yes, well, OH! I went to my first concert!!!!!!! It was great, though I couldn't really see and my ears hurt the next day. I had a great time in NY and Vermont. I could have done without the 7 hours spent in a car but yea, it was worth it. ^__^ 


	9. 9

A/N: Hello. I know it's been awhile but things have been quite cazy. I'm so sad! I got only one review for chapter 8! Grrrr.  
  
Anyways, ^_^ I hope you like this one.  
  
***************  
  
Vicky eyed Ophelia as they walked into the night club. The younge woman seemed to be aware of everything and, to be completely honest, it was starting to creep Vicky out.   
  
Sara laughed and elbowed Vicky in the side.  
  
"Remind you of Ian or what?" the detecive asked as Vicky shook her head.  
  
"It's scary, really."  
  
"Hey, Ophelia! " Sara called over the music and the darkly dressed younge woman turned to face her, "Lets get a table up there." Sara pointed up at the balcony and Ophelia nodded.  
  
Once seated away from the speakers it was easier to hear one another and Vicky began asking Ophelia questions about life with Ian.  
  
"He is a good brother." Ophelia said in all seriousness, "He looks after me and likes my cat." she smiled.  
  
Sara hid her smile behind her beer and turned her attention to the dance floor below them.   
  
It was crowded but not as bad as it usually was on a Friday night.  
  
"Let's dance." Sara stood and pulled Ophelia who had been seated across from her, to her feet and down the stairs.  
  
"I don't know how to dance!" Ophelia announced loudly to be heard over the pulsating music.  
  
"You'll be able to catch on quick enough." Sara laughed at the confused expression on Ophelia's face, "Don't worry it's not hard. Besides, it's a girl's night out, we should have as much fun as possible."  
  
Sara took a step away from Ophelai and slowly began to move to the music as the younger woman looked on.  
  
"Come on." Sara held out a hand to Vicky which she quickly took.   
  
Ophelia stood, watching them and the many other moving bodies around her. Slowly, as though thinking everything through, Ophelia began to move to the steady rhythm.  
  
Sara smiled proudly, noting that the younge woman had a lot of guts.  
  
*Of course she has guts, she's a trained killer.* the Wielder thought.  
  
*****************  
  
Gabriel smiled as his freinds pulled him over to the bar.  
  
"What'll you have?" Sly yelled, over the music.  
  
"Water." Gabriel yelled back with a look that told Sly if he ended up with anything different he wouldn't drink it, "I have to go pick up an order in the morning."  
  
Sly nodded and Gabriel turned to face the dance floor. It wasn't all that packed but at there was going to be a live band palying later which would surely attract many of the city's night creatures.  
  
"Hey." Amanda, a blonde Gabriel had met many times smiled as she stood next to Gabriel.  
  
Gabriel nodded, in no mood for anything Amanda might have to say.  
  
"Gabe?" Sly stepped between the two, "Isn't that your cop friend?"  
  
Gabriel turned in the direction of Sly's pointing finger and quickly found Sara among the crowd, dancing with Vicky and another girl he couldn't see the face of.  
  
"Yea, that's her." Gabriel was looking around for Ophelia when it hit him, the other girl was Ophelia, "I didn't know she could dance."  
  
"Who?-The cop?" Amanda asked trying to get a look at who Sly and Gabriel were talking about when Sly's girlfriend, Andy walked over.  
  
"No, the one with long hair, in all black. She's a friend." Gabriel smiled.  
  
"Who are we looking at?" Andy asked, her short hair a bright orange and spiked.  
  
"Some people Gabriel knows." Sly said, "Let's go say hello."  
  
************  
  
Sara was impressed, Ophelia could imitate just about any thing she saw and was really good at keeping up with everyone else in the room.  
  
"You're doing great." Sara announced and Ophelia beamed at her.  
  
"Yes, very nice." came another voice and all three woman turned to see Gabriel and three friends walking up to them.  
  
"Gabriel." Ophelia's smiled brightened, "Sara has taught me how to dance."  
  
"So I see." Gabriel was surprised by how happy Ophelia looked.  
  
"I thought I told you you couldn't come?" Sara scolded playfully.  
  
"I swear to the Goddess, I didn't even know we were going to a club." Gabriel raised both hands in defense and Sara laughed.  
  
"Well, introduce your friends." Vicky said as she looked over the interesting group.  
  
"Oh, uh, yea. This is my best friend Sly and his girlfriend Andy and this is Amanda."  
  
"Nice to meet you." Sara and Vicky said at the same time while Ophelia just nodded.  
  
**********  
  
Sara had insisted that Gabriel and his friends sit with them, despite her previous statement that it would be a girls night out.  
  
*Ophelia always seems so calm when Gabriel's around.....calmer. Any more relaxed and she'd be dead.* Sara thought as she watched their drinks being carried back to the table by Sly and Ophelia.  
  
Ophelia set the drinks down before their right owners and then slid in to sit next to Gabriel and Andy.  
  
"What are you drinking?" Amanda asked as Ophelia took her first sip of a bubbly looking drink.  
  
"Wine." Ophelia stated simply as Gabriel and Sara exchanged smiles.  
  
"They have wine here?" Amanda asked, looking shocked.  
  
"The bar-tender had go look for it but they had some." Sly laughed.  
  
"The only other person I could ever picture getting a bar-tender to hunt down wine is your brother." Gabriel laughed as did Sara.  
  
Ophelia joined in and soon the rest were looking on in confused silence.  
  
"Who's her brother?" Andy asked.  
  
Sly shrugged.  
  
"A guy who gets what he wants." Vicky smiled, "But it's not that damn funny."  
  
*************  
  
A/N: I've been stuck. Sorry for the wait. 


	10. 10

A/N: Thank you, Thelma for reviewing!   
  
************  
  
The conversation had begun to die down when the live band arrived to set up for their late show.  
  
"Are you staying for the show?" Gabriel asked Sara as she watched a guy struggle to carry an assortment of wires.   
  
"I was thinking about it. Why?" she asked, eyeing him criticly as they leaned on the railing of the balcony.  
  
"No reason." he avoided looking at her and instead his eyes fell apon Ophelia, Vicky and Amanda, all still seated at their table.  
  
"You want Ophelai to stay." Sara said with grin as Gabriel paled then turned pink around the ears.  
  
"I didn't say that."  
  
"No but the lovely color of your ears did for you. You're what 25 now? Why the embarrassment?" Sara watched her friend as he dropped his eyes.  
  
"I don't get it any more than you do." Gabriel ran his fringers through his curly hair, "I think I like her."  
  
"No need to tell me that." Sara laughed, "I saw that coming from way off."  
  
Gabriel smiled, turning to rest his back against the railing and have a better view of Ophelia, "There's just something in her that fascinates me."  
  
"I really hope it's more than just fascination." Sara raised an eye brow, "I love you and all but if you hurt her at all, I wont be all that happy, neither will Ian."  
  
"What are you trying to do?" Gabriel looked more pale than pink now, "Scare me off anything even happens. Besides, you know me better than that. I'd never hurt a friend."  
  
"Yea, sorry about the whole 'big-sister' speech." Sara grinned as Gabriel laughed.  
  
"I'm really happy the 'you hurt I kill you' speach came from you and not Ian." Gabriel laughed.  
  
***********  
  
A/N: I know it's a short chapter and I apologize but have any of you noticed that people are just randomly flaming others? I just got flamed for liking a story that others dislike. I'm a bit peeved but what really got me was that they sent it as a review for the frist chapter of this story!  
  
GRRRRRRR, -_- why do closed minded people open their mouths? 


	11. 11

A/N: Thanks go out to my 2 reviewers.   
  
***********  
  
"Gah! What is all this?" Gabriel ran a hand roughly through his hair as he looked over the boxes being brought into his living room, "I didn't order any of this!" he yelled as the delivery guy came back with another cart load.  
  
"I just get things to where the paper tells me they need to be." the guy shrugged then held out a clip board, "Please sign here."  
  
"I am not signing that." Gabriel crossed his arms over his chest and tried to think of a solution quickly.  
  
"Just sign here and call this number on at the bottom of this booklet and they'll help you." the guy sighed, obviously unperterbed by Gabriel's problems.  
  
The younge bussinessman stood there for a moment tapping his upper lip with the fingers of his right hand, "Fine, but I want you to sign a papaer saying that you said they could help if I signed it, because if I get a hold of them and am then told that they can do nothing to help me because I signed for these...?" Gabriel had been talking so fast that it wasn't untill he got to the last part that he realized that he had no idea what he signing for, "What are those anyways? And you *do* work for this company, right?  
  
"Yes, I do, and those are70 individual cookie masters."  
  
"What?" Gabriel could feel his body tense, "And just what do they do?"  
  
"They make perfectly shaped cookies." the delivery guy was still holding out the clip board.  
  
"Oh." Came a voice from the doorway, "Are you making cookies, Gabriel? Can I help?"  
  
Despite what he had been about to say to the delivery guy about how hard it would be to sell cookie masters at an oddities shop and how the guy and the company who sent the stuff could stuff the cookie master where ever they pleased, he smiled apon hearing Ophelia's voice.  
  
"No there's been a mistake." Gabriel said as he walked over to his desk to grab a pen and paper, "Has Ian come home yet?" he asked, drawing up the paper he wanted the delivery guy to sign.  
  
"He should be back in an hour or so. I had one of his driver's bring me here." Ophelia walked past the man standing in the living room, "He called this morning. Said he would like to have a bussiness dinner sometime this week or next."  
  
"And why do you not sound happy about that?" Gabriel asked as he turned back to the stranger standing in his home, "Sign this and then I will sign your's."  
  
"I don't know what happens at a bussiness dinner and he wants me there with him. Vorschlaug (spelling?!) is his and now he says that it also partially my own."  
  
The delivery guy raised his eye brow as he turned to leave, "Have a nice day Mr. Bowmen."  
  
"So he wants to show you what it's like?" Gabriel asked as he scrolled through the papers in his hands looking for the number to call.  
  
"Not all of it. He said the people are horrible. My brother just wants me to know how it's run and what happens in the meetings." Ophelia plopped down on Gabriel's couch and he smiled.   
  
Not long agao she would have asked or waited for permission before doing any such thing.  
  
It seemed he and Sara were finally rubbing off on her.  
  
************  
  
A/N: More soon. Next will be Gabriel's trip to rid himself of the damned cookie masters and more time with Ophelia and him. Maybe even a bit Sara and Ian.  
  
As usual, ignore spelling/grammer mistakes. I mean, honestly, I just wrote this in the past 20 minutes. 0_o` 


	12. 12

A/N: Thanks go to my 3 reviewers! I am me, Thelma and Oldemystic, thank you and I'm glad you like my writing. ^_~ Sorry to have kept you waiting, computer had a bug (again) and spent 2 1/2 weeks with the local computer doctor. -_- *bleh*  
  
*********  
  
Gabriel pulled his blue VW bug into the gas station as snow began falling rather thickly.   
  
"Gah! I swear those direction are wrong." Gabriel climbed out of the car and slammed the door.  
  
Leaning against the closed door he grumbled while searching his pockets for the directions.  
  
The sound of another car door closing gently caused the young bussiness man to look up. Ophelia smiled before pulling the colar of her jacket up.  
  
"Are we lost?" she asked, amusement shining in her dark eyes, "Ian was right, we should have waited till after the holidays."  
  
"Lets just hope these people have the holiday spirit." Gabriel gave up on the directions and nodded to the gas station, "Lets get some food."  
  
With a smirk so much like the one her brother always wore when he was holding back something he wanted to say Ophelia followed gabriel into the small store/gas station.  
  
"What brings you folk out in a storm?" an older man asked from behind the counter.  
  
"We have to get to the Cookie Master company." Gabriel said as 3 more men entered the gas station.  
  
"We've lost our way." Ophelia said, knowing Gabriel wouldn't say it.  
  
"You won't get there today." one of the men grumped, "You're in Maine. The snow falls thick and fast around here. You kids should probably find a place to stay. No way you'll make it back through the mountains to New York."  
  
"How'd you know we were from New York?" Gabriel asked as he grabbed a soda.  
  
"You're car is out side." the man smiled, "I read the plate."  
  
*************  
  
"So what are we going to do?" Ophelia asked as they climbed back into the car.  
  
"Find a hotel. Spend the day watching Christmas specials and call Ian."   
  
"Sounds like a plan." Ophelia smiled as she opened the bag of chips Gabriel had bought.  
  
************  
  
"Yea, we're fine-just stuck. I can't believe how much snow is falling." Ophelia paced to the hotel window as she spoke to Ian on the phone, "Would you?-that'd be great."  
  
Gabriel looked up from the fuzzy tv screen and watched the back of Ophelia's coat as she paced.  
  
"Yes. Ok, I'll tell him. Bye, Ian." Ophelia turned to Gabriel with a bright smile, one that sorta unnerved him, "Ian is going to call the Cookie Master company and tell them about our trip."  
  
"And that will help how?"   
  
"My brother is well know by many, if not all of the corporations. He's going to talk them into taking all the boxes back and tomorrow all we have to do is show up, give them the 4 we brought and tell them when the boxes will be returned." Ophelia slipped off her long jacket and threw it over a chair.  
  
"But we're stuck here till tomorrow?"   
  
"If the snow doesn't let up, Ian said to wait for him to call."   
  
Gabriel shook his head, trying not to laugh.  
  
Who would have thought that one day he would have to trust a man who once hated him beyound reason?   
  
Not much time had passed before Gabriel was up and looking for something to do.  
  
"You ok?"   
  
"I just can't sit still. I mean, we were in the car for hours and now we're stuck here and a thought just came to mind." Gabriel stopped pacing.  
  
"What?" Ophelia sat in the chair her coat was draped over.  
  
"We don't have any food."   
  
"Oh." Ophelia thought for a moment, "We could ask the owner if we cuold buy some off him, or maybe they have those machines with the food inside. Ian showed me one once, but wouldn't let me get anything out of it."  
  
"Their called vending machines." Gabriel grinned at the mental picture of Ian scrunching his nose in discust everytime he passed one, "You do have to be careful about what you get out of those things,though."  
  
"Can we go see if there is one in the front building?" Ophelia asked with such enthusiasm Gabriel wouldn't have had the heart to say no, even if he knew there wasn't one.  
  
*********  
  
"Oh my." Ophelia stood about a foot away from the vending machine, just looking at it.  
  
"Here you go, sir." Gabriel tore his eyes away from Ophelia to take the offerred water jug from the owner, "You 'll need it if the power goes out."  
  
"Thanks." Gabriel was suddenly praying that the power wouldn't go out.  
  
Ophelia was frightened of the dark and what would he do if she had one those strange dreams in a power outage. He wouldn't even be able to show her she was safe- not with out the lights on.  
  
*********  
  
"And the bell tolls 9 at night." Gabriel tossed his snowy jacket in the general direction of the closet.  
  
"Thank you for walking around with me." Ophelia shook the snow from her braided hair, "I just wanted to feel the movement of walking. My legs dislike being still.   
  
Gabriel laughed then swore as the lights went out. It was darker than he had thought it'd be and the furniture in the room was nothing more than darker spots in the over all dark.  
  
"You all right?" Gabriel asked as he stumbled across the room.  
  
"Yes. You?" Ophelia's voice came from the other end, by the door.  
  
"I can't believe we lost power!"  
  
Ophelia laughed as she pulled out a small pocket flash light from her coat, "I guess some training is usefull."  
  
"You were trained to carry a flash light?" Gabriel squinted as Ophelia shined the light in his eyes.  
  
*********  
  
"Maine's lost power." Ian said as he leaned back away from the computer.  
  
"Sounds like fun." Sara stepped closer to the desk and read over Ian's shoulder.  
  
"I'm gonna call Ophelia." Ian stood quickly, nearly hitting Sara with his chair, "And then I'll arrange for Michael to get us to Maine."  
  
"Ian..." Sara raised an eye brow, "They're in the middle of a blizzard. How are we suppose to get to them?"  
  
"Michael will get us there."  
  
*************  
  
A/N: Short yes but I got stuck. There'll be more as soon as I get some reviews. ^ ^ 


	13. 13

A/N: Sorry it's been awhile. Things are hectic and the weather here sucks. -_-  
  
***************  
  
Sara's mind wasn't exactly there with her at work and twice already Danny had stopped Sara from making mistakes. One of those mistakes would have had them on desk duty for a month. To say the least Sara was surprised when Danny had only sent her back to the office. She had half expected him to send her home like he's been known to do from time to time when his partner doesn't have her head in the game.  
  
Grumbling to the silver adornment on her wrist Sara made her way past the desks of coworker who all gave her curious glances but knew better than to say anything to the detective.  
  
Sara hadn't been the only one having a bad day. It seemed that the day itself was laughing at alll who fell victim to it.   
  
Nearly to the door that would lead her to her own desk, Sara blinked a few times apon realizing that someone was standing in her way and that she had already come to stop.   
  
"Pezzini, "came a small voice which happened to belong to an even smaller body, "You have a visitor in your office. He said he knows you." the younge desk girl looked as though she was ready to bolt, "He said his name's Nottingham. I hope it's alright that I let him in."  
  
Sara stared down at the blonde 20 something woman for a moment in wonder. No one, absolutely no one would have ever let someone like Nottingham just walk in and sit in a detectives office by his self. Maybe this little bit of thing knew what she was doing.  
  
"Thank you, Marsten." Sara nodded to the relieved Marsten who, Sara noticed, was holding a fire extinguisher.  
  
Confused but determined not let it show, Sara pushed the door to her office open and found Ian sitting at her desk with his forehead craddled in his hands.  
  
"You alright?" Sara raised an brow as Ian looked up at her slowly.  
  
"I think I'm in over my head." the man in black confessed, "Ophelia has a million questions thanks to Gabriel's lesson on how a person never learns if they don't ask questions about what they don't understand. I swear he did that just to drive me insane."  
  
Sara, getting more curious by the second pulled danny's chair over and sat facing Ian, "What's she asking about that's got you acting like this?"  
  
"She started in again on Holidays." Ian sighed, "I've tried to explain everything but I just seem to keep coming back to where I started."  
  
"So what'd you do? I mean, did you just leave her at the mansion?"   
  
"Since Gabriel was the one who told her to ask questions I sent her to spend the day with him." Ian grinned, "I hope he doesn't get headaches."  
  
**************  
  
Gabriel sighed.  
  
Ophelia was sitting on the couch surounded by books.   
  
"I think I understand Christmas. The whole gift giving in thanks and celebration for the Birth, but why did we have to stay up for the begining of the new year? And why do people give candy on Valentines day?" Ophelia looked up at Gabriel, her hair pulled back in her usual braid.  
  
"I'm not all that sure." Gabriel sat on the arm of the couch, the only place left to sit and thumbed trough one of the books on Irish legends, "Did you enjoy St. Patrick's Day?"   
  
"I was a bit confused. A man gave me a green flower and the whip cream on my icecream was green."  
  
Gabriel laughed. The last time he had seen Ophelia truly and openly confused had been on their trip back from Maine with Sara and Ian.   
  
"How did you get to us so quickly?" she had asked over and over.  
  
"Let's not discuss that now." Ian had said as Sara looked sick.  
  
It had been amusing enough to keep Gabriel from asking his own questions.   
  
"What is today called again?" Ophelia asked, flipping pages in a large book, "Fool's .....?"  
  
"April Fool's Day." Gabriel smiled, "I suggest we avoid the day and just stay inside."  
  
"I agree. Ian was telling me that people like to pull pranks on their friends and coworkers."   
  
"Yeah, well, I'm more concerned about how the Witch Blade will react." Gabriel shuddered, "I wonder how Sara's doing. I tried to call and warn her earlier but I got no response and then Ian was a bit distracted so I just told him to keep his eyes open."  
  
************   
  
The fire had been a surprise in itself but the Witch Blade suddenly deciding to drag Sara's mind away from the emergency at hand, leaving Ian rather flustered.  
  
Using his coat to smother most of flames that had erupted from the outlet he cursed the day. It deffinately wasn't his day.  
  
Gabriel had said something about keeping his eyes open. Had the oddities dealer known something?  
  
Sara suddenly snapped back to herself as the tiny woman who had let Ian in came running with a fire extinguisher for the flames that escaped Ian's attempts to put it out.  
  
"What the hell happened?!" Sara directed towards Ian as she glared down at the blade.  
  
Marsten had the flames out in a few seconds and had turned to face Ian and Sara, "Are you two alright? That's the fourth one today"  
  
"What did the fire department say about it?" Ian asked.  
  
"That they wanted to turn our power off, but they can't do that considering we run mainly on computers. They couldn't find a cause."  
  
"We're gonna get some air." Ian said, taking hold of Sara's arm and leading her towards the door.  
  
"That's the third time today!" Sara growled as soon as they were out side, "Now what the hell happened?"  
  
"You were in a trance." Ian said quietly, "Did you see anything?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"So the blade just took you?"  
  
"It seems that way huh?" Sara sighed.  
  
"May be it's just the day."  
  
"Yeah," Sara agreed, "Or maybe it's just the place."  
  
***********  
  
A/N: all usual disclaimers apply.   
  
Please review. 


	14. 14I'm Back!

A/N: Ok, everyone, I'm up and running again. I know it's been long time and I apoplogize, but I'm back and ready to type!  
  
Standing before a room full of stunned silent bussiness men had never been so satisfying.  
  
"Of course this little change will bring in more money, make us more efficient and save on the amount of power used throughout the city." Ian managed not to smile at the men sitting before him with their jaws hitting the table, "And to celebrate this developement there will be a dinner held at my home in 3 days time. You will all recieve your invotations by then and at the dinner I will introduce you all to the mind that produced this brilliant plan."  
  
With that Ian turned and strode from the room smiling once he was sure that there was no one around to see him do so.  
  
"Wait, say that again?" Gabriel squinted up at Ophelia as she paced the room.  
  
"Ian is throwing a large dinner and I have to go to it." Ophelia stopped and kneeled before the computer chair Gabriel had occupied since 9 that morning doing research until she had arrived, "I wish for you to be my guest." She said, her eyes desperate as she took hold of Gabriel's hands, "I want you there to make it less frightening."  
  
Gabriel had been ready to protest but who in their right mind would say no to such honesty, "Of course I'll go." he smiled as she let out her breathe in a woosh of graditude.  
  
"I don't what I would have done if I was forced to sit in a room full of strangers!" Ophelia rested her forehead against the hands that she still held for a moment before rising to her feet, "Well, then I supose we should probably go to the tux place before it closes."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's a black tie affair. The press will be there and my brother said to take you here." Ophelia held out a small bussiness card and Gabriel whisled.  
  
"I don't have money enough to go there. I wouldn't have money like that if I sold everything I owned, and thats saying something."  
  
"Ian is paying for it. He said it was payment for getting me to stop asking about holidays and start thinking about bussiness' in the city."  
  
Sara glared as Ian walked into her office at the department.  
  
"Have you decided?" the assassin asked as one corner of his mouth curled up.  
  
"I'll go-BUT-I'm doing it for Ophelia. A room full of unfamiliar faces will probably be a bit frightening for her."  
  
"I still believe that you and Gabriel are underestimating her. She has had years of intense training and is capable of killing a grown man twice her size within seconds." In Ian's mind those qualities would come in quite handy sooner or later.  
  
Of course, Ian worried for his sister's safety but he also knew just how much damage she could cause without using too much energy.  
  
"Are you complaining about how Ophelia gets coddled?" Sara asked, raising an eye brow, "Because Coddling isn't quite what we are doing-"  
  
"I don't believe I ever used the word coddle-"  
  
"We just want her to feel as safe as you do." Sara sighed, "Yes, I know she is fully trained to kill any who threaten her but I just want to show her there is more."  
  
Ian was silent for a moment, then he said quietly, "You and Mr. Bowman have been doing an excellent job of that. Her nightmares have even stopped for now."  
  
Ian stared at the floor but Sara understood what he was feeling and let a small smile come to her lips.  
  
The night of the dinner  
  
Gabriel arrived early as Ian had instructed and was let in by the door man without questions. He carried his tux over one arm as he weaved his way through the bussling servants and up the stairs. He had never been through this part of the mansion before and stopped at every open door looking for Ian or Ophelia.  
  
The door at the end of the hall was open and faint music could be heard along with the familiar voice of Sara . Curious, Gabriel quickened his pace and turned the corner to find both Sara and Ophelia seated with maids all around them. There were women doing their hair, their nails, and makeup - and both the detective and younge assassin looked deadly. The looks they both wore were ones of deepest hate and anger. Sara was talking to Ophelia in a low tone that seemed to make the maids nervous.  
  
No wonder Ian was no where to be found. They were both going to this dinner at his request and they both seemed to regret agreeing to do so.  
  
Gabriel stood there for awhile unnoticed just watching his friends. They were both so beautiful-complete opposites. Sara's skin was golden and her eyes a bright green while Ophelia was pale and her eyes were so dark it was hard to tell what color they were most of the time.  
  
One of the ladies moved to work a brush through Opelia's black hair as a hand on gabriel shoulder startled him.  
  
"It is time for us to get ready." Ian wispered in the younger man's ear as he steered Gabriel away from the door.  
  
There were too many people to count and Ophelia felt a bit overwelmed by it all. Everyone turned to stare as she and Ian made their way down the stairs into the hall.  
  
The grand entrance. Ophelia almost smiled when Ian eplained why bussiness and other wise important people like to make such an entrance.  
  
"People who think they are important like it when others are forced to look up to them. Most people do this by standing while others are seated or entering from a stairwell after the other guests have arrived."  
  
Their lateness wasn't due to the need to have everyone looking up at them but in fact due to Ophelia's elbow length gloves disappearing and then reappearing in the next room.  
  
Gabriel sighed, already bored with the dinner. The actual eating hadn't even begun mainly because the hosts hadn't come down yet.  
  
Glancing at his watch Gabriel sighed again. They were 10 minutes late, and he was begining to worry.  
  
Turning to head back up the stair he had so recently decended gabriel froze in place as looked up at Ophelia. Her gown was strapless and a deep blood red in color. The black gloves matched Ophelia's hair and Gabriel felt bad for the maid who had had the job of doing Ophelia's hair. It must have taken forever to get it all up in those neat little curls on top of her head.  
  
She realy was beautiful.  
  
There was a slight pinch on his arm and the younge man turned to see Sara, also in elegant curls and a black dress smile at him.  
  
"They are beautiful aren't they?" she asked as the siblings began their way down the long stair case towards them.  
  
"They look amazing." Gabriel wispered turning his attention to Ian who looked quite impressive in a black suite with his hair slicked back.  
  
"Hello." Ophelia smiled at them and stepped away from her brother to take Gabriel's offered arm, "You look very handsome." she said looking at the floor as they walked towards the dinning hall.  
  
"Thank you." Gabriel smiled as he noticed many of the bussinessmen there were eyeing Ophelia, "But I feel like I should have done more to look better. Next to you I am invisable."he grinned, "You look incredible."  
  
"Thank you." Ophelia's eyes were still on the floor, "I have something for you." she reached up and pulled a fully open red rose from her hair that Gabriel hadn't noticed before and put it in the botton hole of his jacket pocket.  
  
Ophelia had never given Gabriel anything before and the gesture didn't go unnoticed by Sara or Ian.  
  
"Now you match." Sara beamed, pointing out the darkness of the rose- it was the same color as Ophelia's dress.  
  
"As do you." Ophelia nodded to the white rose Ian had in his coat pocket. Sara had one just like it in her hair.  
  
Sara seemed to flush a little and muttered something about being hungry as she led Ian to the tables were the guests were waiting.  
  
The room had been filled with large circular tables. Each with name tags in fancy gold lettering.  
  
Ian sat with Sara and Ophelia to either side of him and Gabriel was on Ophelia's right. They shared a table with a few men and their wives- employees Ian had known for years. Dinner went smoothly and by the time everyone was waiting on dessert Ian was ready to tell them what they had all come to hear.  
  
"I am proud to annouce that our new head of departments, the very person who came up with the plans to save us millions while making more than even that is Ophelia Nottingham, my sister and now bussiness partner." Ian smiled at Ophelia as she stood next him and everyone in the hall clapped.  
  
Gabriel nearly choked on his wine.  
  
Ophelia? In bussiness?  
  
There were a few flashes as the reporters were given the ok to bring their cameras out.  
  
"Thank you." came a voice in his ear. Gabriel jumped and looked up at Ophelia.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For teaching me things about the world. For giving me the book that gave me the idea to help my brother." Ophelia smiled and sat next to him, placing a gloved hand on his forearm.  
  
"There is still alot out there to learn about, you know." Gabriel grinned.  
  
"Oh yes, I know. Don't worry I'll still be asking you a million questions when ever I can." Ophelia said as a chocolate dessert was set out before them.  
  
"Good. I don't want my days to get boring or anything." Gabriel said as he laid his hand over Ophelia's.  
  
A/N: And I'm tired. All I have to say is thank the stars for intelligent boyfriends. My computer hasn't been letting me upload anything for for months and I thought I was going the shoot the damn thing till Scott came over and fixed in minutes. Made me feel like a dumb ass but hell, it's fixed, I love him and I'm happy.  
  
Ok, Thanks to my reviewers for reviewing. Birdiee, SilverDragon67, Thelma, and Nanz. I realy appreciate it. Oh, and thanks go out to my friend Chris for complimenting me (many times) on my stories. Compliments from guys are always good. 


	15. 15

A/N: Hello, hello.  
Ok, i've been watching a lot of teen titans and I sorta like to think of Ophelia as being alot like Starfire in her innocence (she's not anywhere near as bubbly though) but like Raven in the way she thinks things through.

_oooooooooooo_

Gabrile frowned down at his pumpkin. It was suppose to look scary, not confused.  
  
"I don't think I enjoy carving pictures in the flesh of pumpkins." Ophelia announced as she fought to get the piece she had just cut to slide out.  
  
The entire table seemed to have somehow gotten pumpkin seeds all over it's self and even a few on Gabriel. Ophelia on the other hand was spotless.  
  
"I use to love doing this as a kid." Gabriel shrugged, "Maybe I'm just trying too hard."  
  
"Have you decided yet what you would like for your birthday?" Ian's voice came from directly behind the two at the table and Gabriel who hadn't heard foot steps or anything to indicate Ian's arrival almost stabbed himself with the carving knife.  
  
"Birthday?" Gabriel asked, putting the knife down quickly to try and cover up his jump.  
  
"Yes. Ophelia will be 25 on All Hollows Eve and I asked her to pick out something to do. Maybe a trip somewhere or a nice dinner?"  
  
"I think I would like to go to Gabriel's to hand out candy to kids in costumes." Ophelia said as she flung the stubborn wedge of pumpkin by mistake. She watched it hit the wall before asking, "Will you be handing out candy, brother?"  
  
"No children ever come here for candy." Ian smiled, "Besides, the gates are always closed."  
  
"True." Ophelia thought for a minute then asked, "Why does the thought of All Hollow's Eve and handing out candy make my stomack all fluttery?"  
  
"You're excited." Gabriel grinned  
  
"But why?" Ophelia finaly looked up from her carving.  
  
"Your first Holloween experience?-I don't know." Gabriel looked to Ian who seemed to be watching Ophelia very closely.

_ooooooooooooooooo_

It hadn't even begun to get dark outside and already Ophelia was sitting by the door with a large bowl of candy.  
  
"It's 3 o'clock." Gabriel laughed, "Give it another two hours at least." he patted Ophelia's head as reached to snitch a candy bar out of the bowl.  
  
Ophelia swatted his hand away.  
  
"These are for the kids." she said.  
  
"I bought them." Gabriel protested.  
  
"But you are not wearing a costume." Ophelia looked up at him in all seriousness and Gabriel sighed.  
  
"I'll go get one from the extra bags in the kitchen." he walked away shaking his head. Maybe he shouldn't have told her to give the candy out only to the ones who were in costume. She certainly had away for sticking to directions.  
  
As he dug around for the extra candy Gabriel thought of the small ice cream cake he had bought for Ophelia and wondered if he should give it to her before all the trick or treaters came.  
  
'O, hell.' he thought, 'Anytime is a good time for cake.'  
  
He couldn't help the huge grin as Ophelia's eyes grew large and she put the bowl aside.  
  
"A cake?" she asked, "For me?"  
  
"Well, it's not for me." he laughed.  
  
"I've never- no one has ever-...... thank you Gabriel." Ophelia took the box from him and placed it on the table before wrapping her arms around a very stunned Gabriel.  
  
"You're welcome. I mean, I-I didn't even make it myself." he managed to stutter in embarrassment. A/N: I know it's short but Holloween has already passed and I couldn't not mention Ophelia's birthday. I just had to get this out.

_oooooooooooooo_  
  
Ok, ok, you know the drill. REVIEW! heh, thanks.


	16. 16

A/N: Thanks to my two constant reviewers, Nanz and Thelma. You guys are great and I hope you enjoy the second half of the Holloween chapter. 

It was late and all the kiddies had gone home to sugar themselves up on candy. Gabriel rubbed his eyes and tried to focus on the scary movie he had talked Ophelia in to watching. It was one of the old black and white vampire movies.

Every now and then Gabriel turned to see Ophelia's reactions to the corny scenes and totaly fake gore.

She seemed rather unimpressed.

"Why does Dracula kill only the younge beautiful girls from important families?" Ophelia asked, moving to keep her legs from falling asleep beneath her.

"Vampires seem to have an obsession with beautiful things." Gabriel said as Ophelia raised an eye brow at a blood covered Dracula.

"And horror movies are a Holloween tradition?" Ophelia pushed her hair away from her face and looked at Gabriel.

"Yeah. People like to be scared and Holloween is the holiday for it." he shrugged and turned his attention back to the movie. He had seen it more times than he count and could probably recite the lines along with the actors, "I use to think of your brother as a type of vampire." Gabriel smirked.

"Realy?" Ophelia found this more entertaining than the movie, "Why is that?"

"He always appears out of nowhere and when I first started seeing him around it was usualy at night and he always wore that black trench coat." Gabriel laughed, "My mind would always scream "Vampire!" in a mock movie victim voice."

_ooooooooooooo_

Sara was thinking about Ophelia as she walked from the station to her bike. How could some one who had been raised the way Ophelia had turn out mostly normal?

She knew Ian still worried about his sister's nightmares and he always would. They had been brought up by a maniac and trained to kill. Somehow though Ophelia had resisted the training more easily than her brother. Maybe the difference between men and woman went to another level with them. But then again they were so alike and close. Ian had once said that Ophelia tells him about her day everyday.

Getting on her Buell Sara sighed, tonight was going to be a long night. The stone on her wrist kept coming alive on its own, warning her of something she couldn't see yet.

What was it?

And if indeed something was coming, would be bad or good?

_oooooooooooo_

A/N: And I'm done- for tonight at least. Wow, 2 chapters in 2 days. Both short chapters true enough but still........wow.


	17. vday

A/N: Just so you all know, there was a second part to the Halloween chapter. I didn't get any reviews for it:( Anyways, hope you all enjoy this. Oh, yea and I changed Ophelia's birthdate so if the numbers are off in other parts of the story I'm sorry.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ian looked up from his computer to see Ophelia enter the room, her eyes on the book in her hand and not on Mora, the cat who kept weaving in and out of Ophelia's feet. Anyone else would have stumbled over the cat or tripped trying to avoid stumbling but Ophelia wasn't just anyone.

Watching as his sister approached the desk distractedly Ian saw how Mora changed directions and was now doing figure eights around Ophelia's ankles. The butler had mentioned this to him once but Ian had yet to see it for himself. Mora matched her pace to Ophelia's and Ophelia kept her stride even and didn't look down once.

It was their own person game.

"This came for you." Ophelia didn't look up from her book as she pulled a thin envelope from her sweater pocket.

Ian looked her over and decided that he would have to once again thank Sara for insisting on taking Ophelia shopping. Slowly they were getting her out of what Sara called her 'assassin wear' and into more normal looking clothes. She was looking more and more like the 23 year old she was. Standing there in a dark blue pouch sweater and black jeans Ophelia could have passed for one of the local college students. Sara had even talked Ophelia into wearing her hair down more often.

How- Ian had no idea but he was going to thank her.

"Gabriel said he would be by around 2. You should go change." Ian hid a smile as Ophelia's cheeks turned a pale pink.

"Yes, of course." She turned for the door, Mora doing figure eights with each of Ophelia's steps, "Do you have plans tonight, brother?"

"I was thinking of of asking Sara over for dinner."

That stopped Ophelia.

Mora meowed when she bounced off her owner's ankle.

"Sounds lovely." Ophelia said after a moment then shot Ian a big smile before leaving the room.

Just before she closed the door Ian thought he heard her add, "It's about time."

OOOOOOOOOO

He had said it but saying it had been easier without Sara staring at him from across her desk.

"I was wondering if you," Ian took a breath, "if you would like to join me for dinner tonight."

"Sure." Sara smiled, "I just have a few papers to go over and then I'm free. What time would you like me there?"

Shocked by her willingness Ian drew a blank.

What time had he told the cooks?

"Six, if that's agreeable." he managed, still unsure if told the cooks six, or seven. What if he had told them eight and now he would have to rush them?

"Six sounds perfect. Will Ophelia be joining us?"

"No. Gabriel came for her around 2." Ian smiled when he saw that Sara had been expecting him to say that, "They have movie and dinner plans."

"Oh. Sounds nice." Sara nodded and then looked at her desk.

"But you knew all that already didn't you?" Ian asked with a smirk.

"Maybe." was all the detective would say.

"I'll send the car for you." Ian stood and turned to leave but Sara stopped him.

"Thank you." she said it so quietly Ian thought for a moment that he was hearing thing but the look on her face gave her away.

"You're very welcome." he bowed and walked out of the police station smiling. 

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Here." Gabriel smiled, holding out a dozen red roses, "Happy Valentine's Day."

Ophelia stood there staring at the flowers for so long Gabriel started getting nervous.

"If you don't like them I could get you something else. I mean, it's no big deal." But even as he said it he could feel his heart in his throat.

"No,no I like them." Ophelia looked up at him with large eyes, "I've never been given roses before." she took them gently and smiling, bought them up so she sould smell them, "I love them."

Gabriel's heart retreated abit, allowing him to breathe easier.

"I hoped you would." he smiled, "I stood there for thirty minutes or so trying to pick the right ones."

"You picked the perfect ones." Ophelia set the roses on Gabril's couch and hugged him.

"Ah, yes, well we should get going. We dont want to be late for the movie." Gabriel smiled down at Ophelia before moving to put her roses in water, "We wouldn't want them to die while we were out." he explained.

"No. We wouldn't." Ophelia ran her fingers through her hair, combing it away from her face. She was nervous without realy understanding why.

Gabriel was just Gabriel. The guy who helped her decorate for Christmas and taught her many holiday stories and songs. She had realy enjoyed the songs. Gabriel had the right voice to sing the silly songs and he always smiled through them, making them better. This was Gabriel- so why was she so nervous?

Once they reached the large theater Gabriel found that many couples had had the same idea and the wait in line would probably make them late for the previews.

"Do you still want to go?" he asked Ophelia who had her arm linked through his.

"Of course." she smiled as he shivered, "I've never been to a movie theater before, but if you're cold we could go somewhere else."

"No. I'm ok." Gabriel said as another breeze seemed to find it's way into his coat, "Are you cold?"

"I don't realy notice the cold." Ophelia shrugged, her eyes turned towards the front of the line, "It was part of the training."

Gabriel nodded, a million questions coming to mind but he didn't want to ask and was almost possitive that the answers would more than likely be disturbing in one way or another.

Ophelia leaned forward suddenly and for a moment Gabriel was sure she was going to kiss him. She was so close and her eyes were closed but a shove and Ophelia's laugh suddenly killed that.

In shock Gabriel looked at the grown man Ophelia had pinned againts the theater's outer wall, his arm twisted painfully behind his back. Gabriel managed to blink and recognize his own wallet held in the guy's hand, the one Ophelia had a hold of.

"Wouldn't have been much of a day without this now would it?" Ophelia asked as she handed Gabriel his wallet back.

"My arm!" the guy was whining, "You're gonna break my arm!"

Ophelia let go of the would be pick-pocket and he stumbled, trying to look at them.

"Go home." Ophelia said gently, "Before someone does break your arm."

"Freak!" the man yelled, "You're a freak!" and then he ran.

"Yea," Ophelia said quietly as she wrapped an arm around Gabriel's waist, "I guess I am."

"You're not a freak." Gabriel kissed her temple without thinking and then blushed, "Sorry."

"It's ok." Ophelia was also a shade of pink that the cold wind hadn't caused, "It was nice. I didn't mind." she kept her eyes on the ground and Gabriel found himself smiling like a fool.

"Just remember you said that." he laughed and hugged her closer.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Ian had been sitting for 10 maybe 15 minutes fighting the urge to pace.

He had already checked on the dinner 4 times and on the 4th was shooed out of his own kitchen by an impatient cook, "It will be ready on time. Go get dressed.

So, he had gotten dressed and then paced in his bed room as he brushed his hair back into a pony tail. He couldn't control his legs-he just had to keep moving. The butler, Gordon, had suggested that he go into the study and do a bit of paper work but that hadn't helped. No sooner had he laid the folders on his desk Ian was pacing again. So the folders were put away and he walked circles around his study wondering how Ophelia was doing and if she enjoyed her Valentine's Day date.

He smiled. His little sister was on her first date, but then again his little sister was also still making the front page of the paper due to her work for his company. The papers had only a few pictures of Ophelia and those were from the formal dinner. So, they kept running those and no one knew what she actualy looked like because Ophelia was very had to find if she didn't want to be found. Ian was proud of her. He had told her so a few times and recieved a hug each time.

Ian finaly forced himself to sit still. Sara loved Ophelia almost as much as he did and Ophelia loved Sara. If it hadn't been for Sara and Gabriel Ian wasn't sure how the past year and a half would have gone. Ophelia needed aproval, although Ian doubted she would have easily admitted so and Gabriel and Sara, by becoming her friends showed they aproved of her despite her past.

Gabriel had been the biggest key in making Ophelia's adjustment easy. She trusted him.

Ian looked at the clock on the wall and had to fight to stay in his seat. He wasn't going to allow his body to react so. It was bad enough that being around Sara made his throat dry- he didn't need the thought of her to send him into fits of pacing.

Sara would arrive in less than 2 minutes.

Ian walked casually down to the dining hall and waited barely 30 seconds before the door bell sounded.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Dinner was great." Sara smiled at Ian as they walked towards the kitchen, "I was afraid I'd be spending another Valentine's Day by myself. Thank you for not letting me." Sara linked her arm though his and rested her head against his shoulder as they walked slowly through the halls.

"You're very welcome." Ian took a moment to collect his scattering thoughts, "I was happy you didn't have plans. I would have invited you sooner but my tongue turned traitor and I couldn't get it to work around you."

"Well, I am gratefull you were albe to convince it to join your side today." Sara laughed as they entered the large kitchen.

"What is your wish, lady?" Ian asked with a smirk, "Coffee or the cook's special double shot caffine brew?"

"Duh," Sara laughed, "Give me a double."

They both burst out laughing and it was a few minutes before either could work the coffee machine.

"Oh." Sara sighed with her first sip, " This is heaven."

"I'm glad you are enjoying it now because you wont be sleeping anytime soon after that." Ian laughed.

"O, I must have some of this for work days." Sara said seriously, her eyes large.

Ian laughed again as he sipped his own coffe and he very nearly wore the double shot on the front of his white shirt.

"I think I can arrange to have some of this bagged for you." he said as he grabbed a napkin to wipe at his chin.

"I'd like that."

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Ophelia was all eyes as they entered the diner.

Lou's was an old 50's styled diner and Gabriel couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Do you like it?" he needed her approval on everything tonight or he would feel like he had failed.

"I don't know what to look at first! I love it." Ophelia smiled as Gabriel led her to a both.

Gabriel had always been fond of the old diner because no one realy seemed to go to it after lunch hours. With only 3 or 4 other people in the place it was easy to get your food quickly and the waitresses were all very nice, well mostly.

"Any idea what you want?" Gabriel asked over the menu.

"A burger. A big burger." Ophelia said as she looked over the menu, "Ooo, this!"

Gabriel looked at the picture she was pointing to and laughed. It was indeed a big burger.

"You sure you can eat all of it?" He asked, deciding he was also going to get a burger.

"I'm starving. The movie theater food wasn't filling. Fattening, I'm sure but not filling."

Laughing Gabriel noticed one of the waitresses coming their way.

Once they had ordered they sat back and talked about the movie, the whole time Gabriel had his hand over Ophelia's. It was perfect. Like they had always been that way, and Ophelia was smiling a lot, making it hard for him to look at anywhere but at her.

OOOOOOOO

"Tonight's been perfect." Ophelia said as they walked down the side walk, "I had the best time I've ever had and I am so full I could burst." she laughed.

Gabriel laughed too and hailed a cab. No night was a good night for walking- even Valentine's night, not in NY. One slowed as the wind blew Ophelia's hair everywhere and they hurried to climb in.

"This is my first cab ride too." Ophelia smiled, and placed her head on Gabriel's shoulder.

"Did you have fun?" Gabriel asked in to her hair.

"Yes. Thank you for making it all so perfect." Ophelia leaned up and kissed Gabriel.

It was fast and chaste. And the best kiss Gabriel had ever been given.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: ok, im tired. I just did this all at once. Huh. Anyways, check out ch.16 if you haven't already. And you know the drill. REVIEW! 


	18. surprises

A/N: Thank you to my wonderfull reviewers! You are great.  
Ok, this is gonna be short. I'm in the middle of reading Stephen King's Gunslinger series and I'm on the 3rd book. It's addictive (all the books are!) and its at the part with the key and the kid and Gah- Ok, short chapter! 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sara sat shuffling through the papers on her desk, trying not to yawn. It was 7am and the coffee maker wasn't working. She wasn't in a good mood and so far no one was willing to approach her untill Jake got back from his coffee run.

Jake was trying to be the hero, as usual, to make Sara notice him. The fact was, she did notice him and didn't like what she saw. It should have been no big deal but Jake had to keep trying, just had to push Sara to the point where she wanted to strangle him every time she saw him.

Sara's phone buzzed in her pocket, turning her attention away from the papers she hadn't realy been looking at.

"Hello." Sara saw that Danny was across the hall talking to someone and she doubted that Gabriel would be calling so early, so she didn't think yelling into the phone would be a good idea.

"Hello." Sara smiled as the calm voice replied, "I have a special delivery for you. May I come in?"

"With the mood I'm in I think you, out of everyone else, are the safest."

"Good to know."

Sara closed her phone and sat up straighter so she could watch the tall, dark figure walk towards her door.

Ian knocked with one hand while holding up a thermos in the other.

Sara flew out of her seat.

"Is that what I think it is?" Sara asked, nearly tackling Ian in her need to get the thermos away from him and to her desk where her cup sat empty.

"Yes, but seeing you just now makes me think that you may not need it." Ian raised an eyebrow at her as she snarled.

There were no words, just a snarl as she held the thermos protectively in front of her.

"Ok. Ok." Ian laughed and held both of his hands up where she could see them, "Remind me to make no sudden movements."

"I was called to the scene of hotel shooting at 3 this morning. When I got back here to start paper work I was told the coffee maker had shit the bed." Sara filled her cup and took a long gulp before refilling it to the top, "You realy are a life saver."

"Well, as your protecter I do my best." Ian smiled before taking a seat.

"But how did you know the maker had died?" Sara asked, sitting on her desk top.

"I didn't." Ian folded his hands in his lap and watched as Sara smelled the coffee before taking another long gulp.

"The coffee has arrived!" Jake sang as he walked in, only to stop short at the sight of Ian, "What's he doing here?" He asked, his tone completely different.

"I brought the lady some of the coffee she and I had a few nights ago. She enjoyed it so much I thought maybe she would like some this morning." Ian said in his most calm reasonable voice.

Sara had to fight not to laugh.

"I'm sure Linda would enjoy a cup of coffee." Sara suggested casualy, "She has been here since 5am."

"Yea. I guess." Jake threw Ian a dirty look before walking out of the office.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Ophelia!" Gabriel whined as he trugged down the side walk next to her, "It's too early."

"Gabriel, it's 10 in the morning." Ophelia laughed.

"But it's my morning off." Gabriel reached out and took Ophelia's hand, "And I had to get up at 9:20."

"Gabriel. You own the shop. You always take mornings off and most of your clients order through the computer so even when you are 'manning the shop' you're sitting back playing on your laptop."

"So." Gabriel grumped.

"So, I wanted to surprise you." Ophelia stopped Gabriel and leaned in, giving him a very gentle morning kiss, "Turn around."

Gabriel turned and found that he was looking at a door.

"And?"

"You have to open the door!" Ophelia laughed/yelled.

Gabriel opened the door and followed the stairs that led up with Ophelia right behind him.

"What is this place?"

"My brother just bought the building. The cleaners found those." Ophelia pointed as they came around a corner.

Gabriel stopped in his tracks.

There were boxes. Lots of Boxes. And every one of them was filled with records. Even from where he stood he could see that some of them were signed.

"You have got to be kidding me." Gabreil walked forward slowly, no longer feeling tired.

"No jokes here." Ophelia said, "Ian said the there were a few by beatles-that had been signed that you would like."

And sure enough, right in the front of one of the boxes was an Abbey Road album. Signed.

Gabriel turned and wrapped his arms around Ophelia, burrying his face in her neck.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." he kept mumbling into her skin.

"You're welcome." Ophelia sounded surprised, "All of these mean nothing to me, so why not give you first picks before Ian brings them to the record store."

"Ian is going to sell these!" Gabriel held Ophelia at arms length and was looking at her as though she was carzy.

"No. He was going to give them away." she said and Gabriel let out a small shiek.

"But these are classics! He could get a lot for even the realy bad, unknown ones just because they're signed!"

"So, giving them to you was a better idea?" Ophelia asked cautiously, it seemed Gabriel was more odd in the morning than she had thought.

"A much better idea!."

"And you like the surprise?"

"I love it!" Gabriel once again hugged her tightly to his chest, "Thank you, Ophelia."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: Sorry to dissapoint some of you but there wont be any real "next level" stuff for a bit. I mean, Ophelia's never dated before and I don't want to rush everything in the story. I didn't reread this so ignore mistakes. I just wanted to get it out while I had a chance. Ok, I'm running between this and Sex and The City- I hope this came out ok.

Please review!


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